Share This Story!

Interpol allows AirAsia to directly check passports

Interpol announced an experiment Tuesday with AirAsia based in Malaysia to allow individual airlines to check the validity of their passengers' passports. The action by the international-police organization

Interpol allows AirAsia to directly check passports

FILE - In this Friday, May 9, 2014 file photo, a ground crewman walks by a fleet of AirAsia's passenger jets on the tarmac of the new low cost terminal KLIA2 in Sepang, Malaysia, as AirAsia began its full operations from the new terminal on the day. The top Asian budget carrier said Tuesday, May 13, it will become the world's first airline to check the passports of all its passengers against Interpol's global database of 42 million stolen or lost travel documents by end of this month. (AP Photo/Joshua Paul, File) ORG XMIT: TOK109(Photo: Joshua Paul AP)

Interpol announced an experiment Tuesday with Malaysia airline AirAsia to allow the carrier to check whether its passengers have fraudulent passports.

The action by the international police organization came after two passengers aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 were found to have traveled on stolen passports. The flight has been missing since March 8, and the cause is unknown.

In the aftermath, officials discovered that few countries routinely check travelers for fraudulent passports. Interpol has 40 million reports of lost or stolen passports, the vast majority from 38 countries whose citizens don't need visas to visit the United States, such as Canada and European nations.

But some of the most populous countries — China, India and Indonesia — don't participate in the Interpol program. And only three countries — the United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates — routinely check every airline traveler against Interpol's database, according to congressional testimony at a hearing last month.

Lawmakers are considering legislation to require such visa-waiver countries to check passports of airline passengers with Interpol.

To enhance travel security, Interpol created an I-Checkit system for airlines to directly screen travelers, rather than funnel their queries through governmental organizations. AirAsia is expected to begin using the system in June across its network of 600 flights per day to 100 airports in 20 countries.

"AirAsia is extremely pleased to be the first airline globally to collaborate with Interpol to implement I-Checkit," said AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes.

If Interpol flags a passenger's passport, AirAsia will notify international authorities in Lyon, France.

"This will raise the bar across the industry for passenger safety and security by preventing individuals using stolen or lost passports from boarding international flights," Ronald Noble, Interpol secretary general, said while visiting Kuala Lumpur's airport. "AirAsia has established the new standard for airline security by screening the passports of all international passengers against Interpol's database."